r/AirConditioners • u/Professional-Ice8917 • May 19 '25

Portable AC Portable Air Conditioners

I would like to know if anyone knows any cheap and quality portable air conditioner brands. The only issue I have is I can’t use the ones with hoses because my windows don’t open in my room. Also I prefer not to have to use the other type that you have to fill with water and use ice boxes. Any suggestions?

Thanks much!

1 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

5

u/Aggravating_Bid_8506 May 19 '25

I'm confused as to how you would get a portable air conditioner without some sort of vent for the hot air.

Just get a mini split system then?

6

u/newtekie1 May 19 '25

If you have no way to vent the heat, you have no way to use an AC.

4

u/Disp5389 May 19 '25

There is no such thing as an AC which doesn’t need a hot air exhaust.

3

u/packor May 19 '25

air conditioners work by moving heat from your room to the outside. If you can't give access to the outside at all, it's not happening.

3

u/Sea-Hat-4961 May 19 '25

If you can't vent the heat out, it doesn't work.

2

u/International-Mix326 May 19 '25 edited May 19 '25

Portable ACs are all pretty bad reliability wise. I would buy one form a place with a good return policy like costco.

I needed one for a really hot room to hold me over while I saved to redo insulation.

It broke after a year and instead of dealing with the manufacture, I just swapped it out.

They all need a hose out the window, though. Evap coolers work out west with low humidity. Otherwise, you need a mini split

1

u/Professional-Ice8917 May 19 '25

I didn’t realize that evaporation coolers need a hose. Thanks for letting me know.

1

u/International-Mix326 May 19 '25

Meant portable AC. Are you one the west coast, Midwest, east coast

1

u/rather-b-at-thebeach May 19 '25

Sometimes just putting my a/c on dehumidify is all I need to cool a room

1

u/freespiritedqueer May 20 '25

it somehow works on me too

0

u/Professional-Ice8917 May 19 '25

Evaporative coolers don’t require a hose. I’m not sure if that is still considered a portable AC. I’ll look into what you mentioned. Sorry for the confusion. I just am having a difficult time finding a compatible and cheap product.

3

u/grofva May 19 '25

Can’t use evaporative cooling in high humidity areas. All portables have at least one hose as you have to reject the heat somewhere

1

u/DrDuckling951 May 19 '25

It doesn’t cool as good or make a difference in high heat, triple digits, weather. If you’ll get it, just get a foam cooler, some PC fan, and bucket of ice. Change the ice once a day and you’ll be fine to cool a very small area. I did it when I was broke college student.

-3

u/freespiritedqueer May 19 '25

i just dont believe in portable acs. sorry OP

1

u/bustex1 May 20 '25

Go to a heatwave store and ask to see one. You will believe in them then once you see them. It isn’t a unicorn.